Road shoulder finishing machine



NOV- 20, 1934 F. B. RAY ET AL ROAD lSI'IULDIIR FINISHING MACHINE s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1932 Nov. 2o, 1934. E B, RAY ET AL 1,981,284

ROAD SHOULDER FINISHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1952 3 Sheets-sheet 2 PA YEMEM 7' Nov. zo, 1934. x F, B, RAY -TAL 1,981,284

ROAD SHOULDER FINISHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l slope blades are easily and quickly adjusted to Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PMI-INT. Qtr!CEA ROAD SHOULDER FIN'ISHING MACHINE.

Fred B. Ray and Carl G. Schmid, Indianapolis,

Ind., assignors to Insley Manufacturing 'Com-v pany, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation Application February 4, 1932, Serial No. 590,957 12 claims. (or 37-143) This invention relates to road building and maintenance machinery and more particularly to road grading scrapers for iinishing the shoulders of highways and roads in which the shoulder and meet certain road conditions as the machine advances along the highway. f

In the actual use of these nishing machines it has lbeen found that the slope blade unit must be changed very quickly at times to meet the eX- isting conditions, for instance, if rocks are encountered which cannot be dug out by the blades or when a culvert or other permanent obstruction is encountered, the sloped blade must be quickly adjusted or raised to clear this obstruction and again lowered after the machine has passed the obstacle. In some instances the blade must be raised until it is practically vertical to obtain sufcient clearance. v

It has been found that the ordinary shoulder blade in use today is entirely inadequate to resist the vtwisting or torsional strains produced by the pressure of dirt against the lower edge of the slope blade, especially when a comparatively long slopeblade is used.

Y These twisting or torsional stresses are materially increased when the slope blade extends either downwardly or upwardly at an appreciable angleA with respect to the shoulder blade and in order to make these blades and their carrying frame fully capable of withstanding these torsional stresses it would be ordinarily necessary to construct them of such heavy material that free and easy adjustment of the blades would be impossible. An object of our invention, therefore, is to provide means for swinging and adjusting thev slope blade whereby the angle thereof may be changed with a minimum amount of effort and with great rapidity.

Another object of our invention is to provide a counter-balancing feature for the slope blade whereby the blade is substantially balanced thus reducing to the minimum the amount of eiiort necessary to change the position of the slope iy blade or to swing the same into and out of inoperative position when desired, as is necessary to pass an immovable obstruction.

= Another object is to provide a self-locking adjusting means for the slope blade unit whereby the blade ispositively maintained in any of its adjusted positions, together with a manually operable member for controlling the adjusting means. I

A still further object is to provide a truss frame structure for the main shoulder blade whereby the blade" is strengthened against torsional stresses while at the same time extreme lightness is maintained.

Anotherobject is to provide a slope blade unit which is pivoted to--the main shoulder blade unit forindependent angular adjustment,l the slope blade unit as well as the main shoulder blade unit being of atruss frame formation tovresist torsional 'stressesr v A further object is to connect the truss units aforesaid witha unitary triang'ularbrace member secured to the main frame at the apex of the triangle and having its base disposed adjacent the truss frame in a vertical plane whereby the free end of the main shoulder` blade unit is positively heldagan'st twisting or torsional stresses caused by the slope blade. x

A still further object is to so construct the frame at the outer end of theshoulder blade so that the slope blade maybesecured Athereto inY rear of the main shoulder blade at spaced points disposed in a horizontal plane while the triangle bracing frame may besecured to the shoulder blade frame at spaced vertical points, the bracingframe being of tubular welded constructionl whereby twisting of the main shoulder bladel frame'by the slope blade unit is positively pre-v vented.

Another object is to provide shoulder and slope blade structures in which the` carrier blades are of relatively wide curved longitudinal formation and form a part of the'rigidifying structure, the lower portion of lthe'blades being formed to receive a comparatively narrow removable scraping blade, the face yof vthese latter blades being` disposed in thesamey plane as the face of the shoulder and the slope carrier blades.

Other and further objects and advantagesof the invention will behereinafter Vset forth and the noval features thereof dened bythe ap, pended claims. f

In the drawings: i Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sidevelevation of our improved shoulder and sloped blade finishing attachment, the full lines illustrating the position of the shoulder and slope blades when forming a substantially horizontal shoulder, the dotted lines disclosing the slope blade in raised or inoperative position while the dash lines show the slope blade inclined downwardly for cutting an adjacent slope at the side of the shoulder;

Fig. `1a is a continuation of the slope blade as seen in Fig. 1 and disclosing a removable extension for the slope blade which may be used when it is desired to form an extremely long slope.

Figs. 2 and 2a' are plan views of our improved form of shoulder and slope blades and disclosing our improved tubular brace member; the counter-balancing means and adjusting means for the slope blade are omitted from this figure vfor the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of our improvedituvbular wheeled bracing iframeV or connecting member which extends between the nishing machine frame proper (not shown) and the outer' end of the shoulder blade frame; A

Fig. 4 shows a tubular extension tongue or bar member which is adapted to beadjustably secured Within the tubular bracing frames, shown in Fig. 3, whereby the angular relation of the shoulder blade with respect t0 the lin'e of travel of the nishing machine may be changed;

Fig. 5 is an end elevationbf the shoulder blade frame and disclosing the angle frame, the blade mounting and the arrangement of the adjusting means for changing the position of the slope blade unitz and y l e Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the `slope blade unit2 the dotted lines representingA the. advance relation of the shoulder bladev with respect to the slope blade unit when the parts `are assembled. Y I i Like :reference eharactersdesignate rcorresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

. Inthe drawings attention is specically.d

rected to Figs. 1 and` 2in which Aindrcates` generally a shoulder blade: unit lto which is pivoted the adjustable slope blade .forming unit B. The unit B is provided with a lremovable longitudinal extension unit Q `whieh when .attached as shown in the drawings inereases the length of" slope to be seraped ,or -n'isfhedby `the maiehine. The Shoulder blade Strutture A is pivoted et E to the lmainframe of the finishing machine (not shown) and may be kswung to substantially any Vertieal or horiaontalf position,- the arrangemerit of the "ertiedlV and horizontal pivots at E- eiectively preventingytwisting of the adjacent -Y end of the bladef structure with respect tothe main finishing machine frame.

rAn adjustable Vbraee member-D is pivoted to the outer end of the blade structure or A and is pivotally securedhat F to the main yframe -of the finishing machine.

In order toadjust theposition of the shoulder blade unit A with respect to theV main` nishingmachine frame an adjustable braeeunit ormem.

v Shoulder blade eerrririgunit A. comprises ,a main relativelyI wide bladeI 1 which is` curved in crossv section as clearlyy seen in Fig. 5 to assure proper cutting and scouring andto give rigidity to the same.

shoulder scraper blade proper 3 which may be or especially hard wear resistingl material.. TheA t Shoulder; blade l; a longitud-trolls dir-nosed ro-f` The lower` portion. of this blade 1 is; formed with a rabbet" or groove 2 to receive the 1,981,284 i i i v 1f inforcing angle or' strip 4. The lower flange 0f this strip extends downwardly to the lower edge of the blade 1 and is apertured at 5 to receive the shoulder scraper blade fastenings 6. These fastenings pass through both the lower edge of the holder blade 1 and the reinforcing strip or angle 4.

Disposed on the horizontalflange of the angle 4 and secured thereto is the plate or strip '7 which further stifens the blade 1 longitudinally. The Ibracket 8 is secured to the blade 1 and plate 7 at the inner ends thereof, this bracket being offset at 9 and terminating in the apertured arms 10 as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Adjacent the other end of the angle`4 and plate 7 is an angular trapezoidal frame 11 which extends to the rear of thev blade 1 and 'carries spaced connecting'a'rms 12 to which the brace member D is attached.

Diagonal brace members 13 and 14 extend from the upperand lower corners of the frame l 11 inwardly and downwardly to a point onthe angle 4 adjacent the rear face of the mainy blade 1 thus forming a substantially triangular py-v ramidal truss frame with the apex of the triangle disposed inwardly toward the nishing machine and the base extending outwardly.l These brace members 13 and 14 are welded or otherwise at 13 in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

projecting portion la of lthe shoulder blade l. Suitable gusset plates 16 are provided to further strengthen the bearing member or support 14a.-

From the rabove it will ybe observed that in our improved form of shoulder blade -unitcon-` struction we have -provided a truss structure of comparatively light material while` at the .same` time possessing extreme rigidity. f The bracket 8 extends materially across the shoulder blade holder 1 and is adaptedto receive the trunnions 1'7` of the bearing block 18 thus per.

mitting the blade 1 to swing in a vertical plane.

The bearing block 18. is pivoted to the main frame ofthe finishing machinernot shown) on a vertical axis 19v thus permitting the blade unit and .the

block to swing in afhorizontal plane. However, rotative or twisting movement ofthe end ofthe unit due to torsional strains is positively pre.

Vented'by this arrangement. The brace member Dv for supporting the outer end of theblade las seen particularly in Fig. 3 is of` a tubular triangular welded construction. and consists` of a lmain tubular sleeve 20, a diagonal tubular ymember 21 extendingup-wardly from the sleeve 20 and bent at 21a yadjacent its endinto parallel relation with respect to` the sleeveV 20. A compression strut member 23 is disposedbetween the free ends of,

the sleeve andl inclined member 21 and welded thereto. Anadjustable tubular member or bar 26 is telescopicallyarranged within the sleeve 270, and provided with aY plurality of openings 28, which may be brought into register with openings. 29 in the sleeve and apin 30inserted in they openings to secure the member 26 againstlongitudinal and rotative movement within the sleeve. The member. 26 likewise carriesV a bifurcatedextension 27 for connection .with the main, frameo-fvtheiinishing machine-` In connecting the;l brace member D to the shoulder finishing unit A, the

two connecting; arms 12 on.-'theframe 11' arein- Serted., between. the bturoated. connecting: mem.

. pavement on which the machine operates. The

brace D in this figure is in its contracted or retracted position which ydisposes the shoulder blade unit A and the slope blade unit B at a considerable angle with respect to the draft of the machine.

When it is desired to change this angle, the pin 30 in the frame D may be withdrawn and the angularity of the shoulder blade adjusted, Whereupon the pin is reinserted and the blade is held in its adjusted position. If it is desired to set the blade units A and B at right angles to the line of draft of the machine the member 26 may be removed and a longer extension bar such as disclosed in Fig. 4 used in place thereof. By using ,a proper length bar or member 26 the scraper blades may be actually disposed at an angle opposite to that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings so that the blades will actually throw the dirt toward the pavement.

The adjustable brace G supports the free end `:of the blade unit A and by manipulation of the hand wheel 31', the blade may be adjusted to change the angle of the road shoulder as desired. The slope blade unit B is pivotally secured to the shoulder blade unit A through the instrumentality of a pin 32 supported in the bearings or brackets 14al and 15 as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This unit is quite similar in construction to the unit A in that it comprises a relatively A wide slope blade holder 36 of curved formation -backed by the triangular angle iron frame 33 as seen in Figs. l, 2 and 2a. Brace or truss members 34 and 35 are provided to further strengthen and rigidify the frame 33 with respect to. the slope blade holder 36. 45 i The extension C is in the form of a curved blade holder 37 to which is secured the angle' bar 38 having a projecting portion 39 adapted to overlap and be bolted to the frame 33 as shown.

The unit B may be swung vertically around the `axis of the pin 32 and to accomplish this operation the unit I is provided which consists of a casing 40 secured to the frame 11 of the unit A.

The casing contains a worm and gear unit not shown which is arranged to Vbe operated by the hand wheel 41 carried by the shaft 42. The shaft 42 carries a worm which meshes with a worm gear secured to the shaft 44 journaled in the casing 40. The casing is carried by bracket 43' secured to the frame 11.

Rotation of the hand wheel 41 actuates the shaft 44 to which is secured the actuating arm 45. This arm has pivoted thereto the link 46 which is in turn pivoted to a bracket 47 carried by the slope blade holder 36. The arm 45 is provided intermediate of its length with a laterally projecting plate 48 apertured at 49 to receive the counterbalancing spring unit 50. The other end of this unit is secured to the plate 7 and angle 8 at 5l.

It should be observed that the slope blade holder 33 and its extension 37 are both provided with scraper blades 33a similar in form to the shoulder scraper blade 3, these blades being also secured to -their holders in a similar manner.

In the operation of the device especially with a comparatively long -slope'blade itis duite frequently necessary to change the position oi the' slope "blade and to" quickly raise it to clear obstructions such as rocks which cannot be dug out of the ground bythe blades. Dirt also piles up in front of the blades to such an extent that the machine is overloaded and this necessitates raising the blades to release this dirt. Not infrequently are culverts, bridges and stone-work encountered in forming a shoulder which also requires vraising the blades. v At times it is necessary to raise the bladesto an almost vertical position to clear certain obstructions.

By the use of our' counter-balancing feature just described in conjunction with the worm and gear bladel shifting device the adjustment of the blade is accomplished 'with minimumi form of rigid tubular triangular shaped brace' unit D all twisting of the blade units is absolutely prevented.. v

While the specific details of construction have' been herein shown and described, the invention is not confinedrthereto as changes and altera-v tions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our'invention,'what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

l. In a shoulder nishing machine of the class described, a shoulder finishing blade, va rigid truss fr ame carrying said blade connected at one end to the machine to swing in vertical. andhorizontal planes only, and a brace connecting the other end of said truss frame at spaced points disposed in different horizontal planes, said brace having a connection with the machine at the other end.

2. In a finishing machine having a main frame forming a support adapted to travel over the` to the adjustable brace member and truss frame.y

3. In a nishing machine' of the class described having a main frame, a shoulder blade, a support therefor, a supporting frame therefor com- I prising a longitudinal angle secured at one end to said support, a frame projecting laterally from the blade at one end in a substantially vertical plane, diagonal brace members extending from the corners of said frame to said angle to brace the same with respect to the blade, and a bracing frame extending from the upper and lower rear portions of the angle frame to said main frame whereby torsional twistng'ofthe shoulder blade unit is prevented. .i f

4. In a shoulder finishing machine, agshoulder scraper blade, a truss' frame kfor supporting said blade extending towardsy the machineandconnected thereto against axial rotative'v movement, the said frame including inclined brace members for the frame, a slope blade removably pivoted on the scraper blade adjacent the fr ee end thereof for vertical swinging movement, counter-balancing means for counter-balancing the weight of the slope blade, means for adjustingV the position ofthe slope bladewith respect tothe shoulder blade, and brace members for rigidly supporting the free end of the` shoulder blade against movement and torsional strains caused by angular dispositionof the slope blade thereto.

5. In a shoulder finishing machine having a main frame, a shoulder blade unit carried thereby to swing in vertical andhorizontal planes only,

a bracing frame adapted to be connectedfto the;

main frame and having one side disposed in a substantially Vertical plane adjacent the free end of the shoulder blade unit, means forconnecting said unit and bracing frame together including,

spaced vertical connections whereby the free end of the unit is rigidly supported against torsional stresses, a slope blade unit pivoted in a horizontal plane at the free end of said shoulder blade bracing frame, and means for adjustingrtherangular relation thereof with respect to the shoulder blade unit.

6. Ina road nishing machine of the class described having a main frame, a shoulder blade unit connected thereto for vertical adjustment, a rigid triangular tubular frame-member ,pivoted at spaced points in the vertical plane to the shoulder blade unit, means for connectingthe other end of the tubular frame to the main frame, a slope bladeunit pivoted to the extremity of the shoulder blade unit whereby the slope blade unit is adapted to swing in a vertical plane, means for adjusting the slope blade unit With respect to the shoulderblade unit and means connecting they shoulder bladev unit and slopev blade unit for counter-balancing the weight of the slope blade unit with respect to its pivot whereby the slope blade unit may be easily adjusted by theadjusting means. e

7. In a road shoulder forming machine ofthe class described having a main frame,\a shoulder blade unit carried thereby having a relatively wide blade curved laterally of its length, an angle member in rear thereof and secured thereto, a substantially trapezoidal frame disposed on said blade adjacent the outer end thereof and projecting laterally therefrom, strut brace members extendingA between the corners of said frame and the rearpof said blade intermediate its length, and a brace frame having one side disposed in a vertical plane adjacent the end of said trapezoidal frame'and pivoted'thereto in a vertical plane,

the brace frame beingconnected at its vother end to the said main frame.

8. In amachine of the class described, having a main frame, a shoulder blade unit adjustably carried thereby and including arei-nforcing truss frame, a slope blade unit adjustably vcarried by the shoulder blade unit, means for adjusting the angular relation of one of the units with respect tothey other unit, and a rigid brace frame connectedto the shoulder blade` unit at spaced points, said frame having a connection to the main frame at a singlepoint. 4

9. In a shoulder finishing machine, a shoulder scraperblade, a trussframe for supporting said blade extending towards the machine and connected thereto against axialv rotative movement, the said frameincluding inclined brace members for the frame, a slope blade removably pivoted on the scraper blade adjacent the free end thereof for vertical swinging movement, counter-balancing means foncounter-balancing thev weight of the slope blade, means for adjusting the position of the` slope blade with respect to the shoulder blade,.brace `members for rigidly supporting the free end of the shoulder blade against movement and torsional strains caused by angular dispo'sition of the slope blade thereto, a bracing frame for the slope` blade, and means for interconnecting the bracing frame with the truss frame.

10. In a shoulder finishing machine, a shoulder scraper blade unit comprising a scraper blade, and la frame for supporting saidblade upon a machine by which it may be carried, a slope blade movably pivoted on said scraper blade unit adjacent to the free end thereof for vertical swinging movement, a device for adjusting the position of the slope bladein relation to its angularity respecting the scraper blade and comprising a pivoted larm with means forpivotally moving said arm, together with a connection between said arm and the slopeblade andl a spring attached to the scraper blade unit at one end and having attachment at the other end withr said arm of theI device `for raising the slope blade whereby to counterbalance the lweightzof the slope blade and assist in the elevation ofthe same as described.

11. In a road finishing ,machine of the class described having armain frame, .a shoulder blade unit connected thereto for vertical adjustment, aframe member pivotedto the shoulder blade unit, means for connecting the other end of the frame member to the-main frame, a slope blade unit pivoted to the shoulder blade unit, means for adjusting the slope blade unit with respect to theshoulder blade unit, and counterbalancing instrumentalities.connecting the shoulder blade unit and slope vblade unit for permitting easy adjustment of the latter. J

12. In a road nishing .machine of the class described having a main frame, a shoulder blade unit connected thereto for vertical adjustment, a frame member pivoted `to the shoulder blade unit, means'f-or connecting the other end of the frame member to the main frame, a slope blade unit pivoted to the shoulder blade unit, means for adjusting the slope blade unit with respect to the shoulder blade unit, and counterbalancing instrumentalities connecting thev shoulder blade unit and slope blade unit for permitting easy adjustment of the latter,th esad counterbalancing instrumentalities comprising a link pivotally connected to the slope blade unit, an actuating arm pivotally connected to the shoulder blade unit andsaid link and resilient means connected to said adjusting arm vand shoulder blade unit.

' FRED B. RAY.

, CARL G. SCHMID. 

